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Horror in Black and White: ‘Cat People’ (1942)

Published

5 years ago

December 6, 2018

Hello Readers, and welcome to Horror in Black and White, a brand new series highlighting the classic films that chilled and thrilled us in all their monochromatic glory, and I can think of no better film for our first outing than Cat People 1942.

Written by DeWitt Bodeen and directed by Jacques Tourneur, Cat People was the first film from producer Val Lewton for RKO Pictures in an attempt to compete with Universal’s magnificent monsters.

In the film, Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon), a fashion artist newly arrived in New York from Serbia, has found a home close to the zoo where she is comforted by the sounds of the large cats. Though she’s reluctant, Irena marries Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), and it’s only then that he begins to realize who she might really be.

Irena believes she is descended from powerful women who, when their passions rise, morph into fierce and dangerous cats themselves, and Oliver might just believe her.

It was almost impossible to take your eyes off Simone Simon in Val Lewton’s Cat People.

Now, if you’re sure you’ve never seen Cat People before, but you’re thinking you’ve heard this story, you’re not entirely wrong.

Bodeen’s story was steeped in Old World folklore and fairy tale archetypes. The repressed sexuality of Irena echoes that of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty; her curiosity that of Little Red Riding Hood when she strayed from the path.

The battle between desire and control is strong in this film, and Simon radiates both. In fact, it’s almost impossible to look away from her magnetic eyes in almost every scene.

Lewton was seemingly up against the wall from day one of the 18 day shoot. Three days in, the supervisor wanted him fired, but the studio head stepped in and forbade his firing. It may be one of the few times a meddling studio head was right!

Lewton pinched pennies right and left coming in under budget by using shadow and light to his advantage. He instinctively knew just how much to show the black panther in the film and understood the flash of an eye in the darkness could be much more terrifying than seeing the creature in full.

Lewton’s use of shadow was pure genius.

Perhaps it was his time as a film editor that gave him this insight, but Lewton’s eye combined with Tourneur’s direction created a film that is both atmospheric and terrifying. It’s the perfect film for a rainy evening in, and one that I cannot recommend enough.

The film was a success at the box office despite mixed reviews, and cemented Lewton’s reputation for creating successful horror films though that reputation often chafed in the years to come…but that’s a story for another day.

One final note: Irena is, in many ways, all women of her time. The sexual revolution was still decades away however, and unfortunately her story falls prey to the conventions of the time. A woman with that much power simply couldn’t survive.

I have often wondered what a female writer and director could do with this story in a more modern setting. I think it would be a very different film, but one that I would love to see, personally. I only have one request: Do it in black and white.

Cat People is currently available for rent on both Amazon and Vudu for only $2.99.

Join us again next week for our next edition of Horror in Black and White!

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Jake Gyllenhaal’s Thriller ‘Presumed Innocent’ Series Gets Early Release Date

Published

1 hour ago

April 26, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Jake Gyllenhaal’s limited series Presumed Innocent is dropping on AppleTV+ on June 12 instead of June 14 as originally planned. The star, whose Road House reboot has brought mixed reviews on Amazon Prime, is embracing the small screen for the first time since his appearance on Homicide: Life on the Street in 1994.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s in ‘Presumed Innocent’

Presumed Innocent is being produced by David E. Kelley, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, and Warner Bros. It is an adaptation of Scott Turow’s 1990 film in which Harrison Ford plays a lawyer doing double duty as an investigator looking for the murderer of his colleague.

These types of sexy thrillers were popular in the ’90s and usually contained twist endings. Here’s the trailer for the original:

According to Deadline, Presumed Innocent doesn’t stray far from the source material: “…the Presumed Innocent series will explore obsession, sex, politics and the power and limits of love as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.”

Up next for Gyllenhaal is the Guy Ritchie action movie titled In the Grey scheduled for release in January 2025.

Presumed Innocent is an eight-episode limited series set to stream on AppleTV+ starting June 12.

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

20 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

22 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.